Kiwi

Why kiwi is rated low

Kiwi is low FODMAP at about 2 small (150g), which is a generous serving for a fruit, and it turns moderate at larger portions and high at much larger portions. The group that eventually builds up is Fructans. Green and gold kiwifruit are both eaten the same way, and two small fruit is the amount to plan around for either. That makes kiwi one of the more relaxed fruits in a low FODMAP week: two small kiwis are a full serving, and it takes a much bigger bowl before the level moves.

What changes your risk

• Serving size About 2 small (150g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. Two kiwis at breakfast sit comfortably inside the low serving, and the level only moves when the bowl gets much bigger.
• Green versus gold Green and gold kiwifruit share the same 2 small (150g) low serve, but gold kiwi can reach moderate at a smaller amount than green, so gold is the one to keep closer to two fruit.
• Stacking fructans across the meal Fructans add up across a meal. Kiwi next to a wheat based cereal, a slice of regular bread or granola containing inulin or chicory root fibre means several fructan sources arriving at once, even if each looks modest on its own.
• Dried kiwi is a different portion Drying removes the water and concentrates everything left behind, so dried kiwi slices deliver the same load in a much smaller amount of fruit. The fresh figure does not carry over to the dried form.
• Blending and juicing Blending does not destroy FODMAPs, it only changes the texture. A smoothie with four kiwis in it is four kiwis, and juicing pushes the sugars of several fruits into one glass while leaving the fibre behind.

What else works

Kiwi is already a low option, so this is more about what pairs with it well. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, oranges, mandarins and pineapple are all low FODMAP fruits at a normal serve, and rotating between them is an easier way to get variety than piling more kiwi into one bowl. The lookalikes to keep off the same plate are the fruits people assume are equivalent but are not low: apple, pear, mango, watermelon, cherries and blackberries. Dried kiwi and kiwi in a mixed juice are also not covered by the fresh serving, so treat them as separate things rather than as a bigger helping of the same food.

How to keep it low

Buy kiwi firm and let it sit on the counter until it gives slightly under a thumb, then move it to the fridge to hold it there, which stops a whole bag ripening at once. Two small kiwis make a full serving, so halving them and eating them with a teaspoon straight from the skin keeps the portion visible without any weighing. When you are portioning for a lunchbox or a breakfast bowl, put the two fruit in and close the container before you add anything else. At a buffet or a catered fruit platter, the kiwi is rarely the issue but it usually arrives mixed with mango and watermelon, so pick your pieces out rather than taking a scoop of the mix.

Common questions

how much kiwi is low fodmap

About 2 small (150g) is the low serving for both green and gold kiwifruit. Larger portions are moderate, and gold can reach moderate a little sooner than green.

can i eat kiwi during the elimination phase

Yes. At about 2 small (150g) kiwi is low FODMAP, which makes it one of the easier fruits during elimination. Tolerance still varies from person to person, and any reintroduction work is best done with a dietitian.

is dried kiwi the same as fresh kiwi

No. Drying removes the water and concentrates what is left, so a much smaller amount of dried fruit carries the same load. The 2 small (150g) figure applies to fresh kiwi only.

what about kiwi in a smoothie

Blending does not lower the FODMAP content, so the kiwis in the glass count the same as kiwis on a plate. Building the smoothie around 2 small (150g) kiwis keeps it at the low serve.